1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a throwing arm training device used to teach individuals how to throw a football or baseball properly using the correct arm and elbow action.
Football quarterbacks and baseball pitchers have all too often suffered injury to their throwing arms because they did not use the correct arm and elbow action when throwing the football or baseball. The training device of this invention will help correct this problem.
The first major function of the throwing arm training device is to restrict the passer from throwing with the arm flexed inward toward the ear past a 90 degree angle mark shown on the training device. This automatically enables the thrower to maximize shoulder use or movement in the throwing motion which results in an increase in distance thrown. The major concern is that many throwers release the ball too close to the ear (inward past the 90 degree angle), resulting in increased rotation or spin on the ball and a decrease in the distance the ball is thrown.
The second major function of the throwing arm training device is that it also restricts the passer or pitcher from releasing a football or baseball with an overextended or fully extended arm both of which are better known as the "sidearm" method. The adverse effects of the sidearm method include poor accuracy, lack of distance, and added stress placed on the muscles of both the arm and the shoulder.
Both angles on the throwing arm training device are adjustable, However, the recommended adjustment limiting the flexion of the arm should be set at the 90 degree angle. The angle of extension should be adjusted according to the severity of the sidearm problem, For example, with one having sidearm throwing problems, a coach might lock the extension adjustment at the 80 degree angle and have the subject practice throwing with the throwing arm training device on a daily basis, so that the subject will learn to effectively release the ball between the 80 degree and 90 degree angle. When the thrower and/or his or her coach decides that he or she is now comfortable with the newly formed throwing motion, the extension angle can be gradually let out or decreased over a period of time until the thrower can perform the proper throwing motion without the extension restriction. At that time, the device can be removed from the arm and a new improved throwing motion should have evolved. Now the thrower will be able to throw a football or baseball using the proper technique without the aid of the throwing arm training device.
In the second and third embodiments of the invention the maximum flexion angle may be set at an angle higher then 90 degrees, while the minimum extension angle in all three of the embodiments may be set as low as zero degrees if desired.
Such modified adjustments are necessary for individuals who do not have a problem with sidearm throwing and/or throwing the ball close to the ear.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Arm control devices for both behavior modification and training are well known in the prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 1,772,601 issued Aug. 12, 1930, to Berman S. Dunham discloses a thumb-sucking preventing device comprising a pair of sleeves or cuffs mountable on an arm above and below the elbow, respectively, said pair of sleeves or cuffs being pivotally connected in the vicinity of the elbow by two rotatable plates, the pivotal movement being limited by a pin and slot connection.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,074,723 issued Jan. 22, 1963, to Clement Esty discloses a golfing practice aid which comprises a sleeve or cuff which is mounted on a golfer's forearm and elbow of his leading arm to remind the golfer to keep his or her leading arm straight during the course of his or her backswing,
U.S. Pat. No. 3,439,673 issued Apr. 22, 1969, to Carl A. Sprecher discloses an elbow immobilizer for use on male and female patients to facilitate intravenous administration of food, blood, or other fluids, comprising a pair of elongated support members of sufficient length to prevent a person from bending his arm, said support members being attached to the arm by a pair of straps above and below the elbow, and a third intermediate strap at the elbow.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,677 issued Oct. 24, 1989, to Albert G. Tetreault discloses a training aid for baseball hitters to assist in keeping a batter's lead arm flexed in a proper hitting stance, comprising a first sleeve or cuff attached to the batter's upper arm, a second sleeve connected to the forearm and one or more elastic straps connected between the two cuffs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,789 issued Jan. 15, 1991, to Roger D. Socci, discloses a device to help teach and train baseball pitchers to use the correct arm and elbow action when pitching a baseball, comprising an arm elevator harness which fits around the pitcher's body, and an arm and elbow elevator guide which is attached to the shoulder harness and guides the pitcher's pitching arm in the right position.
Additionally, the following patents were cited in my pending patent application Ser. No. 07/717,325: U.S. Pat. No. 4,088,130 issued May 9, 1978, to Leslie T. Applegate; U.S. Pat. No. 4,191,373 issued Mar. 4, 1980, to William E. Lancellotti; U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,953 issued Mar. 10, 1981 to Ralph D. Marchetti; U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,298 issued Feb. 8, 1983 to Max Letman; U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,716 issued Dec. 25, 1984 to Robert L. Blackwood and David M. Shapiro; U.S. Pat. No. 4,493,316 issued Jan. 15, 1985 to Kenneth E. Reed et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,227 issued Aug. 12, 1986 to Bruce Hurd et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,633,867 issued Jan. 6, 1987 to James H. Kausek et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,361 issued Feb. 23, 1988 to Michael D. Farley; U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,000 issued Apr. 14, 1987 to George R. Hepburn; U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,143 issued Mar. 22, 1988 to James H. Kausek et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,561 issued Dec. 5, 1989 to Billy R. Letson, St.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,858 issued Nov. 5, 1991 to Vanden Broeck et al. Of these Patents, the Patent to Applegate discloses a hinge for a knee brace comprising a single pivot connecting two bars, enabling pivotal movement between selected fixed positions determined by the positions of pins placed in a series of apertures. The Patent to Lancellotti discloses a brace adapted for wear by a tennis player for minimizing and/or preventing tennis elbow comprising a means 24, 38 for applying pressure to those portions of a tennis player's arm directly overlying the medial and lateral epicondyles, thereby preventing or reducing the pulling action of the tendon connections with these bone spurs in such a manner that the inflammation thereof are reduced. Marchetti discloses an elbow movement restrictor which is adapted to hold an arm of a golfer or bowler in an extended locked position, thereby restricting the "breaking" of the player's elbow on making the bowling delivery or completing the golf stroke, the two operative bars 20 and 22 being connected by a single pivot screw 28, bar 20 being locked in the extended position by means of screw 30 and depression 32. The Patent to Lerman discloses a knee brace to provide exterior support to the knee to prevent any unnatural movements of the knee joint which could injure or reinjure the knee ligaments, while allowing the normal swinging movement of the knee joint about a horizontal axis through the knee. The Patent to Blackwood et al. discloses a hypertension limiting elbow brace designed to hold a person's arm in a partially bent attitude. The Patent to Reed et al. is directed to an articulating knee stabilizer. The limits on free rotation of the hinge is provided by pinion stop gears 61 and 63 which engage hinge gears 56 and 58 until they engage the teeth of an opposite hinge gear, thus preventing further rotation of the hinge. The Patent to Hurd et al. is directed to an athlete's arm restrainer, for holding a bowlet's arm rigid after it is straightened. The Patent to Kausek et al. '867 is directed to a knee brace for control of ligament instability by protecting against forces applied in the medial and lateral side planes and in the anterior and posterior planes, and providing rotational stability so as to prevent excessive rotation of the tibia in relation to the femur. The brace also inhibits pivot shift (forward displacement of the tibia) by preventing the knee from achieving a full extension by means of an extension check strap 30.
The Patent to Farley is directed to a method and apparatus for correction of various defects in an equine leg, including a brace attached to an animal's leg in three places. A pad is provided for engaging a deviated joint and pulling the joint against a side of the brace to correct the deviation. Adjacent sections are connected by pivotal elements arranged to provide movement of the three brace sections in a common plane or parallel planes so that the device, in essence, establishes a reference direction for movement of the parts of the leg. Because the apparatus provides pivotal connection the horse is allowed to walk about, does not view the apparatus as a foreign object, and does not injure itself trying to get away from the apparatus. The apparatus is also useful for treatment of contractures because the preferred pivotal elements include limiting stops for controlling the angular motions of the brace. The lower connector 12 is designed to permit rotation of section 8 in a counter-clockwise direction when viewed in FIG. 1 of the Patent, while the upper connector permits rotation of section 6 in a clockwise direction. The connectors operate in opposite directions to accommodate the action of an animal's leg. To adapt the Farley device to a human arm would require substantial modification.
The Patent to Hepburn is directed to an adjustable splint and securing means therefor, incorporates a biasing spring therein to constantly bias the working elements into a fully extended position. The Patent to Kausek et al. '143 discloses a selectable extension stop for a polycentric hinge comprising an extension block positionable between mating ends of arms to limit the forward rotation of the arms, different size blocks being required to enable the user to select the limit of extension. The Patent to Letson, Sr. discloses an articulated brace for protection of the joint of a wearer's limbs, comprising three sections mounted on a single pivot to provide protection of the joint, with a stop 34 engageable with a surface 40 being provided to limit the pivotal movement of the brace in a direction that would allow for hyperextension of the limbs.
Not found in the prior art is a throwing arm training device wherein the maximum flexion angle of the arm and the minimum extension angle can be selectively set to provide a user with a range of arm movement within limits for the purpose of training the user to throw a ball such as a football so as to achieve the maximum benefit in terms of height and distance,